


Broken Promises

by arihime



Series: Nerelyn Surana [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 21:16:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4892533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arihime/pseuds/arihime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even if they were both lying when they made their promises, Zevran broke his first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Finally moving this over from tumblr. Sequel to [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4425068).

The last room before the stairs holds an emissary.

Surana surges forward, a Mana Clash already forming in her hand. She is tired, and her head hurts, and her magic is working on instinct alone, so she doesn’t even think to check for other darkspawn before she steps into the open and fires off the spell. The emissary collapses across the room, but even with it dead her blood keeps pounding. This close to the Archdemon, with this many darkspawn, the taint is inaccurate, a constant buzz of warning. She doesn’t realize her mistake until she hears the others cry out in alarm, and feels the floor rumble.

She turns in time to see an ogre reach for her.

In the same instant, something slams into her from the side, knocking her to the ground. There’s another shout, this one in an achingly familiar voice, and when she looks up, the ogre lifts Zevran up to eye level and squeezes.

_“No!”_ She shrieks, but the sound is lost as Zevran screams.

Lightning surges to her fingers before she can stop herself, any semblance of a plan lost among the thought of _Maker no_. She just manages to reign the power in enough so as not to hit Zev, but the spell still shoots forward to strike the ogre on the leg. It cries out, but doesn’t release its captive.

Surana stands, another spell building. The world narrows to the ogre, to Zevran hanging limply in its grasp. Something shimmers around him faintly, one of Wynne’s shields. Lightning, ice, fire, everything comes when Surana calls, drawn by her fury and fear. The ogre roars at her, and Surana screams back.

“Let him go!”

The spell hits the monster full on in the face and continues out the back of its head. It topples backwards, and Zevran falls from its grasp.

He lands in a heap at the ogre’s feet, the shield dissipating, and Surana scrambles to him. Flashes of movement catch her eye— Alistair and Maire fighting a second ogre—but she ignores these, her knees slamming on the floor as she drops beside her lover.

“Zev?” She whispers, reaching out slowly to touch his shoulder. He doesn’t stir. “Zevran? Zev please, you promised.”

The last word hitches on a sob, but in the same moment Zevran lets out a shuddering breath and coughs. Blood spatters to the floor.

Dread and elation fill Surana, mixing into a lump in her throat as she tries to call out for Wynne. She swallows and tries again. “Wynne!”

The healer is already there, kneeling on Zevran’s opposite side. Her face is grim as she runs glowing hands over his body. “His ribs are broken, and I think one punctured his lung.”

They roll him onto his back slowly, and Zevran groans. His eyes flutter open for a moment, searching, and Surana takes his hand.

“I’m here.” She says, and he smiles when his gaze lands on her.

At Wynne’s prompting, she moves so that Zevran’s head can rest on her knees. She strokes his hair, trying and failing to ignore the way his chest rattles with every breath.

“You promised me.” Surana whispers, though she isn’t sure if she means the one he broke or the one he’s currently fighting to keep.

“ _Amora_ —” He starts, but a cough cuts off his words. More blood leaks from his mouth.

“Don’t speak.” Wynne says. Her face is pale under the blue glow of her magic.

Surana hears Maire and Alistair join them, talking under their breaths about health potions. There are no more, Surana knows.

“You’ll be fine, Zev.” She says despite herself, then glances up at Wynne. “Won’t he?”

Wynne doesn’t answer.

She presses on. “Won’t he?”

“I will try.”

The urge to yell at Wynne bubbles up inside her, but Surana beats it back down. She doesn’t know why the mage’s words make her angry. Better this assurance than a false promise, she thinks, though the thought of Zevran dying scares her more than the Archdemon itself.

It scares her more than even her own death, which draws closer with every step she takes towards the roof.

Zevran’s eyes close, and his head rolls sideways, and it’s only the sight of the shallow rise and fall of his chest that keeps Surana from screaming. It’s better this way, she thinks, so that he isn’t in pain.

There’s a rustle beside her, and when she turns, Maire has knelt on the ground.

“We need to keep going.” She says.

“What?”

“There’s still an Archdemon out there that we need to defeat, and we’re going to need your spells to do it. I’m sorry, Surana, but we need to move on.”

Surana starts to protest, but Maire’s face is set. When she looks back, Alistair has the same expression, though his eyes are sad.

“Zevran will be fine here with me.” Wynne says. “We’ll both be waiting here for your return.”

_But I_ _’m not coming back_ , Surana thinks.

She wants Zevran to be beside her when she dies, wants him to be the last thing she sees. But she can’t deny the sense of relief that fills her now, knowing that he can’t follow. He’d try to stop her, once he realized, and she can’t allow that.

Besides, it’ll probably be worse for him if he has to watch her die.

“Alright.” Surana says, her voice shaking. She reaches into her pack and pulls out all the lyrium potions she has, setting them down in front of Wynne. “In case you need them.”

For a moment, Wynne looks confused. Then a look of grim understanding crosses her face. She nods.

Maire and Alistair start towards the door without being asked, leaving Surana alone to say her goodbyes. Before she can say anything, Wynne pulls her into a fierce hug.

“I’m so proud of you, Surana.” She says, stroking Surana’s hair. “You’ve done so well.”

A sob threatens to burst from Surana at the earnestness in Wynne’s voice, but she pushes it down. If she breaks now, she won’t be able to continue.

Wynne pulls away, tucking a strand of hair behind Surana’s ear before she turns back to Zevran.

“I’ll keep him safe.” She vows.

_Safe and alive._ As long as Zevran lives, Surana can forgive herself for deceiving him, for leaving him behind as she goes off to her death. Even if he never will.

Lightly, she wipes blood from the corner of Zevran’s mouth, and her finger strays sideways to trace the tattoos on his face. He might never forgive her, but he’ll be alive, and that’s what matters most.

She leans over and kisses Zevran tenderly on the forehead, then on the lips.

“I love you.” She whispers. “And I’m sorry.”

Surana’s knees protest as she stands, bruised from the hard tile. Maire and Alistair stand at the door, waiting for her. She smiles at them, and joins her fellow Grey Wardens as they walk towards their fate.

She doesn’t look back.


End file.
